1. Field of the Invention
Aircraft supported launchable weapon release assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, numerous systems have been devised and used in launching weapons from an aircraft. Such prior systems have had numerous operational disadvantages, such as being unduly heavy, bulky and cumbersome; launching a weapon so close to an aircraft that turbulent air currents of high intensity batter the weapon and throw it off course; require an undue amount of physical effort and time to preload a weapon into pressure contact with a supporting sway brace; and launching weapons of different weights at different terminal velocities in paths not normal to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft.
The primary object in devising the present invention is to supply an aircraft supported weapon release assembly that is compact, relatively light in weight, is simple and easy to use, and one that overcomes the operational disadvantages of prior art systems.
Another object of the invention is to furnish a weapon release assembly in which the weapon is positively locked in the articulate structure that forms a part of the assembly, and so remains until such time that the assembly is actuated to move the triaxially restrained weapon outwardly at a desired velocity relative to the aircraft to a desired position where the weapon is released and launched.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a weapon release assembly that may be energized equally well by either high pressure cold gas or isothermal expansion of a charge of hot gas, may be used successfully on either high or low speed aircrafts, and the assembly being of such design that all inertia and aerodynamic forces arising from use thereof are transmitted directly to the supporting aircraft.
Another object of the invention is to supply a weapon release assembly in which a standard ballistic curve of hot isothermally exploding gas and a dimensionally corrolated articulate structure cooperate to provide a substantially flat output curve to eject a weapon from a supporting aircraft at a desired velocity.
Yet another object of the invention is to supply a weapon release system which by the use of buffered gas is self correcting to launch weapons of various weights at uniform velocities, and without the system requiring adjustment or correction to achieve such weapon launching.
Another object of the invention is to provide a weapon release system in which the weapon is automatically preloaded into a desired pressure contact with the sway braces that form a part of the system.